Yakusoku
by Laura Hoak-Kagey
Summary: When they were kids, Shinichi and Ran made a promise. When the time comes, do they keep it?


Yakusoku Well, Meitantei Conan doesn't belong to me, but to Aoyama Gosho, Shonen Sunday, Shogakukan and I think it's Moubii that animates it. (After the 170 eps I've seen I still don't pay attention...) 

"Yakusoku" is Japanese for "Promise." And as much as I usually don't like mixing Japanese and English together (Japanese University majors are picky. :) I'm going to keep the "neechan/kun" ending of names for when people talk. If you really need to know the meanings of them, I'll explain it at the end. 

Oh, and Shinichi should technically be written as Shin'ichi, but since we all understand the difference anyways, I'm going to be lazy. :) Well, onto the story... 

**Yakusoku**   
By Laura Hoak-Kagey

Two young children sat on a park bench, swinging their legs as they looked up at the night sky. The stars were starting to come out, and being in the innocence of youth, they made wishes as each one appeared. 

After a short while, the young boy with blue eyes and black hair broke the silence. "Hey Ran, when you become an adult, what's the first thing you want to do?" 

The girl took her eyes from the stars to look at the boy sitting next to her. "What do you mean when I become an adult? I heard from Mama that you slowly become an adult." 

"When you finish school, stupid. Ya know that when you're done with high school that you have to do things for yourself." The boy had also taken his gaze from the stars. He continued to swing his legs as he waited for his best friend to answer. Him and Ran had been friends for nearly as long as they both could remember, and he could say anything he had on his mind to her, even if he was still only a boy. 

"Don't call me stupid, Shinichi! Hmph. Anyway, when I finish school? That's in ten years and I'll be so *old*..." Ran took a minute to think about his question before she finally answered. "Well, it's kinda dumb, really." 

Shinichi's eyebrows went up in slight curiousity. "Dumb? Spill it anyway, Ran." 

"Well...if I have a really nice boyfriend, I'd like to get married." It was a good thing that the sky had turned dark a short while ago, or Shinichi would have seen Ran's deep blush. 

Shinichi laughed out loud. "Married? What's so great about that, anyway? Of all the things in the world...over driving a car or seeing the world you want to get married?" 

Shinichi was still laughing when Ran retorted back. "I told ya that you'd laugh at me! Geez, why do I tell you anything?" 

Ran was a bit flustered and about ready to get up and leave when Shinichi stopped laughing. 

"Sorry Ran. I just thought you'd say something different. But then girl's always want stuff like that." 

Ran shook her little fist in the air. "Do you want me to hurt you? I can beat you any day, and you know it!" 

Shinichi put his hands up in defence. "No, no. I said I was sorry! Anyways, guess what I want to happen?" 

After managing to calm down a bit, Ran put her arm down and replied. "So whatcha want?" 

"I want to be famous." And Shinichi gave her one of his trademark grins. 

"Famous? I'm not sure how you're gonna do that..." 

"Me neither. But, since we're gonna be friends forever, let's promise to try to make our wishes come true, 'kay?" 

Ran sighed. "I'm not sure how I'm gonna help you be famous...but I'll try. You have to promise too, though, to help me, 'kay?" 

Shinichi nodded his head, but it wasn't enough. Ran put out her pinky. "Promise?" 

He hooked his pinky with hers, and they shook on it. "Promise." 

*~*~* 

Ran took one last look in the mirror before she dashed out the door. Today was an important day; it was her high school graduation ceremony. 

Even though she didn't take her school bag with her, Ran looked like she did every other morning. She had on her high school uniform and her hair hung free down her back, like it always did. Ran had seen the special graduations ceremonies Americans had in the movies, and really wondered why people went through all that trouble to wear strange gowns. 

But, Ran wasn't really thinking too much about these thoughts at the moment. Today was her last day of school. University was techinically still school, but it was a breeze compared to high schools in Japan. She'd finally have some free time. But in the midst of all these thoughts, one prominent question kept being asked in her head. _Where is Shinichi? He's not even going to come..._

She sighed and looked at her watch. Ran needed to hurry if she was going to be on time. Her mind had been so preoccupied with Shinichi and her graduation that she had overlooked the absence of her father and Conan as she had left the apartment. 

@>-;--- 

The graduation ceremony had seemed to take an eternity to finish, but when it finally did, Ran was ready to leave. She just wanted to go home, shut herself in her room, and let her thoughts sort themself out. 

Just as Ran was trying to leave without being noticed, Sonoko came up next to her. "Ran, where are ya going so quick? We've just graduated! You can't just leave. I mean, the first thing you do after this will be a memory for all time, right?" 

"The first thing?" Ran stood there, and memories of her and a little boy sitting on a park bench came flooding back. She remembered her promise, and because of it, had a small smile form on her face. 

Sonoko waved her hand in front of Ran's face. "Ran? Hello? Are you listening? What are ya smiling at?" 

Ran snapped back to reality. "Uh, nothing Sonoko. Listen, I kind of have something to do, so would it be okay if I called you later? We can do something tonight, okay?" 

Sonoko gave her reply with a slightly quizzical look. "Well, okay Ran. But you'd better call me! Since the creep who's supposedly my boyfriend is out of town yet *again* for another karate tournament, I don't wanna spend my first night of freedom alone. Are you sure you're okay Ran?" 

"I'm fine. And I promise to call you, 'kay? I'm gonna go now, bye!" 

"Bye Ran." And Sonoko watched as Ran left the the room. 

@>-;--- 

Ran arrived home, and out of habit she called out, "I'm home." 

Even though she really hadn't expected anyone to be home, Conan entered the living room. "Welcome home, Ran-neechan." 

"Hi, Conan-kun." Ran tossed aside her diploma, and started to head for her room when she noticed a small parcel on the low table in front of the TV. "Where'd that come from?" 

Conan came closer to where Ran was standing and shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. It came for your earlier today." 

Ran didn't noticed the little boy watch her closely as she sat in front of the table, and picked up the parcel. Taped to the top of the parcel was a letter. Ran took it off, opened it and began to read it. 

_**Ran,   
Sorry I didn't get to graduate with you. I didn't plan on being this busy with solving cases, it just kind of happened.   
Anyway, I wanted to give you something. You see, I still remember a promise we made when we were little. Though you probably don't know how you've done it, you have helped make me a little famous, which is still famous in my books. Even though I wish I could be there in person to say it to you, thank you.   
I, um, don't know if you remember your wish or not. I actually, er, well, do you remember the night I took you out to dinner at that restaurant? Well, then, I, well...okay, so I'm not good at saying things like this. Anyways, open your present, and when I talk to you again, please let me know what you think. Thanks Ran, for being there and being patient with me. And good luck.   
Shinichi**_

"What does all that mean? Stupid Shinichi, never really getting to the point. Oh well." Ran turned her attention to the small parcel. She opened it, oblivious to the little boy with glasses carefully watching her every move. 

After she opened the small box, she found a little jewelry case inside. Rather than trying to guess what it was, Ran quickly opened it. Inside lay a white gold, diamond ring. 

"Shinichi..." Ran took the ring out to take a better look at it. In doing so she found an inscription. 

"To make your dream come true." It took a minute before Ran realized the meaning of the ring, but when she did, she blushed. 

After looking at the ring for a few minutes, Ran slowly put it on the fourth finger of her left hand. "Shinichi, you stupid. You can never say what you think, and never have, when it comes to feelings. But I'll wait, you know I will. It'll be our secret." 

Ran had completely forgotten that Conan was sitting in the same room. When she realized he was there, she turned an even darker shade of pink. 

"Ran-neechan, that's a cool ring. Do you like it?" 

Still a bit flustered, she answered, "Of course I do." 

Assuming that Conan was too young to figure out the meaning of any of this, she stood up and in a cheerful voice asked him, "Hey Conan-kun, how about I make something for you? Anything you want, just ask." 

Grateful that Ran hadn't noticed the slight blush in his own cheeks, he answered, "Okay. How about making cookies?" 

Ran smiled as she gave an enthusiatistic nod. "Okay! Wanna help?" 

Conan nodded. Even if he was still trapped in the body of a boy, he could enjoy Ran's company. Besides, he was in the best of moods, like Ran. 

Ran started for the kitchen, slightly humming to herself. _Thank you Shinichi. Even after all these years, we kept each other's promises, didn't we?_

^^^^^^^^   
Okay, I don't usually write short fics, but I tried. :) Please let me know what you think, and any comments you may have. 

Oh, in Japan, high school is actually optional. So, in case you were wondering, that's why Shinichi's never been in real trouble for not going to school. It's not mandatory after 9th grade. Oh, and graduations are different too. :) And it is true about Universities in Japan. It is *hard* to get into one, but once you do, it's a breeze. Quite unlike, say, American Universities for example. 

As for "Ran-neechan", instead of calling older people just by their first names, Japanese will sometimes tag on "neesan" or "niisan" to a person's name, or use them alone. They have the meaning of "older sister/brother". When people reach about 35 or so, a different tag is used. 

"-kun" is a tag used for boys either in the same age range as you or younger. Good friends don't use a tag at all, but when talking with just about any child, a name tag is used. 

Thanks for reading! Bye-bye!   
July 2001 


End file.
